


Transient

by thephilosophersapprentice



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Found Family, Gen, You've been warned, fathers and sons, spoilers for the end of brotherhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 18:13:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19481317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thephilosophersapprentice/pseuds/thephilosophersapprentice
Summary: While Edward is taking a break from research, he runs into Maes during knife-throwing practice. They talk. (Inspired by the fact that both Ed and Hughes both throw knives but it's breezed over.)





	Transient

Normally, there wasn’t anyone using the knife-throwing targets when Maes came to practice. It stood to sense—there weren’t many soldiers who commonly threw knives. But apparently, there was at least one other. The gold braid identified the occupant clearly enough; the red coat hung from a hook nearby.

“I didn’t know you threw knives,” Maes commented, leaning against the wall. “Also, where’s your shadow?”

Edward glanced up at him before turning his attention back to the target. He tossed a blade around carelessly with one hand before throwing it. It sank deep into the center of the target. “I think I was six or seven when I started? And Al’s at the library. He told me I needed to take a break.”

“Ah,” Maes said. “As a father, I’m a bit concerned that you were throwing knives around when you were six.”

“Well, the Rockbells couldn’t be around all the time,” Ed mumbled, throwing another knife with unerring accuracy.

“So it was a ‘boy thing,’” Maes said.

“Pretty much.”

Maes took up his station next to Edward. They took turns in silence for a while.

“You’re never this quiet, Ed. What’s eating you?”

“I’m not _that_ loud,” Edward denied.

“Sure you aren’t.”

Edward headed toward the target to retrieve the throwing knives. “I’m also not playing to anyone right now.” He returned a few minutes later with an armful of knives.

“You and Roy are very alike… You know that, right?”

Edward shot him an unimpressed, irritated look. Maes chuckled. “Yep, I can see it.” He returned his focus to the target. “You both put on personas when dealing with the vultures upstairs—with anyone, really, but mostly with them.” He threw a knife, hitting the inner ring. “There’s sense in that. They’d eat you alive, given half the chance—both of you.” Maes contemplated the weight of the second knife in his hand. “For the longest time, I thought you had each other fooled. Now, though…”

“I still do want to strangle him sometimes,” Edward grumbled, “and he gets on my nerves, and I know I complain about him all the time, but… it could’ve been so much worse. I really wouldn’t want to work with someone else.”

“And that’s the other thing you two have in common,” Hughes commented. “Loyalty. You don’t leave people behind.”

Edward wrinkled his nose. “Can we talk about something else, please? This is getting _weird_.”

“I have some new pictures of Elicia I can show you—” Maes began, grinning evilly.

“ _Please_ ,” Edward said.

He really had no idea what he was getting into, Maes reflected with an internal chuckle. Edward had no idea that Maes had been present to record Elicia’s latest tea party—which she had prepared for by braiding wildflowers into Edward’s hair. Elicia absolutely adored her friend’s silky golden mane—for good reason. Edward had a right to be proud of his “princess hair.”

After all, the Elrics were practically family.

Little did Maes know that one of those same flowers was currently pressed between the pages of Edward’s encoded research journal, where it would remain until long after the homunculi, the coup, long even after Edward lost his ability to perform alchemy.


End file.
